If wax was vacuum, I was deaf

It was my wife's persistence. She actually pushed me into the doctor's cabin, after close to 5 months of pressure on me.

Probably, it started in the summer. We used the ceiling fan during sleep. There would be some kind of block in my left ear when I get up in the morning. On some days, I used to cover my ear when going for sleep. During the mid summer, the pressure started building on me to visit the doctor. But end of summer, it subsided. SO we decided to ignore it.
But the discussions started again, when a small brown\reddish layer started forming in the ear nozzle. After repeated discussions (including argument), she was successful in taking me to the ear specialist.

In the first consultation the doctor mentioned that there was a thick layer of dry wax attached to the ear drum and gave me some ear drops (Soliwax drops). This was because the wax was pushed rather than being pulled out. (Though, I have no clue on how that can be done). She asked me put these liberally for 5 times a day for 5 days. "This would soften the wax and that can be removed", doctor said.

Because, I regularly forgot about those drops during office hours, for those 5 days, my wife woke me up at insane hours - regularly. Night 1am, 3am and 5:30am were ear-drop times.

Then came the D-day. I was feeling that some kind of incision will be made and my body will be opened. I sat on the revolving stool in front of the doctor. The doctor was looking like a miner, with a head band which had a lamp in it. As the miner look-alike came near my left-ear with her equipment, I picturised a miner entering a mine with his axe and ready to drill a hole to make his latest discovery.
I heard of gush of water flushing through my ears. This was repeated for some more time. It was loud and clear in my ears. The doc has injected syringes of water through my ears. (I wonder what would happen to toilets when we flush them, if toilets had ears.) My wife was requested to help the doctor in holding a container that collected the ear-flushed water. Particles of reddish wax also came out. Then came the miner's catch. A 2cms long, 0.75cm wide cylindrical mass of wax. Every sound was loud & clear when this piece was pulled out.
After the doctor declared an all-clear, I heard myself and my wife weaving a sigh of relief.

Just recalling my physics, I wondered if this mass was vacuum, I would have been deaf for sometime, long back.

Prologue to Raktha Charitra

Raktha Charitra is ready for release. This Ram Gopal Verma venture is based on the notorious politician\gang lord of Andhra Pradesh – Paritala Ravi. I am eagerly waiting to watch the movie.

On the outset, it looks like RGV has done enough research on the characters. Probably he has covered most of the bloody acts of Ravi. 

Has he covered this act of Ravi?

The scene was in a train.
One of Ravi’s trusted man is traveling in the train. A rival gang (let us call them gang B)  gets into this train in a station. Their plan is to kill this friend of Ravi, and get down in the next station. The next station is an area under gang B’s control. A well planned attack. When the train leaves the station, as per plan gang B attack Ravi’s man. In a chase inside the train, the guy is killed. Blood inside the train.
When the chase is happening, Ravi is informed about the attack. (It’s a mystery if a passenger informed Ravi or if there was a rat within gang B or whatever).
Paritala Ravi used all his clout and wit to hatch a counter-attack immediately.

He coordinated with the railway guys so that the train does not stop in the next 2 stations. Thus preventing any of the gang B members escape. The 3rd station falls under his control. Before the train reaches the 3rd station, he has his gang ready at the station. As soon as the station stopped, Ravi’s gang attacked gang B – inside the train.
Before the train left the station 40 mins later, gang B bodies were dragged out of the train and put on a lorry. 

The revenge was complete. And instantaneous.The incident looks very filmy, but bringing film-like violence to real life was Ravi's style.

PS - Like my Rann's prologue, this is not a paid advertisement to RGV's movie.
I am not linked with any of the gangs mentioned. I know this incident via an eye witness.

Number 836 - Short play

Scene 1

Location - At a bus stop in a residential area of Bangalore. Night 8pm.
Unknown person (U), standing in the bus stand, looking lost.
Narasimha(N), a senior citizen carrying a bag to the vegetable shop. Walking along the road.

U – Excuse me, sir.
N – yes?
U – Sir, how to reach this address.
Stretches a piece of paper with an address on it.
N – (Adjusting his spectacles and taking the paper in his hands) It’s not legible. Can you read it?
U – 836, 9 main, 3rd block, Jayanagar
N – Name of the person you are looking for?
U – Venkatesh..
N – (Thinking) – This is 3rd block. This is 5th main. So go to the 4th parallel road on the left. You will find the house there.
U – I went there and could not find.
N – Do you have the phone number?
U – I lost my mobile in the bus, sir.
N – Hmm
U – I will try again in the same road. It’s very important to find Venkatesh. Sir, he has to give me Rs 5000.
N – ok.

Both walk away.

Scene 2

Location -  At the same bus stop. Night 8:30pm.
U is standing in the bus stand, still  looking lost.
Narasimha, is walking back from vegetable shop with vegetables.

N – You are still here?
U – I searched again for half an hour. I could not locate the house, Sir.
N – You should come in the morning again and search. Its dark here. Catch the last bus at 9pm.
U – Sir, I have nothing with me. I lost my mobile and purse in the bus. Venkatesh had to give me 5000 rupees. I am searching since 5pm without food and water. Now how shall I go sir?
N – Hmm
U – Sir, Can you help me?
N – Hmm…What?
U – Please give me some money. I have to go to Kunigal. I wanted this money for my sister’s hospital expenses. She is sick since 5 days.
N – Kunigal? Tumkur Kunigal? 80 kms right?
U – Yes sir, can you give me thousand rupees. My sister is serious.
N – What? 1000 rupees?
U – Please sir.
N – I don’t have so much money. And even if I had, I would not give you.
U – Sir, I am not lying. Please sir. How will I go home now?  (Almost tears)
N – I have 40 rupees with me. Take a bus and go to Kunigal. (handed over the 40 Rupees and walks…trying to get away from the scene)
U – Sir Sir...Thanks sir.

Scene 3 –

Location - 9th main, 3rd block, Jayanagar…Morning 7 am.
Narasimha is walking trying to locate number 836, during the morning walk.
He sees houses at 837 and 835. And an empty plot at 836.
An elderly lady (L) is sweeping the leaves off, the compound of house 837.

N – (Curious) Do you know a Venkatesh here in this road?
L – No sir.
N – Hmm
L – What house number?
N – 836..But this is a empty plot?
L – 836 is empty. I have not seen the owner. I am staying here since 25 years. There is no Venkatesh in this road.
N – No house on 836. No Venkatesh. Did he cheat me or Did Venkatesh cheat him?
L – (Confused) what?
N – Nothing, Thanks madam…(Walks away).

Strikes and Deals – India this week

This is the summary of the events of last week. India saw strikes and we also were involved in some “deals”.

Strike 1 –
The citizens participated in a strike against the taxi and autowallas. We called it MeterJam. This media\internet hyped event saw little success but if you are on social network sites, your views may differ. Some also compared this as a David vs Goliath war….I am not sure who is David and who is Goliath.

Strike 2 –
A small strike by the Indian cricket team captain, MS Dhoni. Mr Cool, lost his cool about a bad practice pitch offered by Lankan cricket board. The practice pitch was bouncy and good length deliveries turned out to be bouncers. Karthik got hit on the elbow during practice. The already unfit Indian outfit were in for another blow. Dhoni lost his cool and walked away in protest, from practice. The team followed and observed the strike.

Strike 3 –
Our dear Parliamentarians did a mini-strike. They stalled the Parliament session for a day to ask for hikes. The “poor” MPs wanted a 400% increase. As the cabinet surprisingly put this on hold, the united MPs decided not to work for a (yet another) day. Though there is still no decision made on this, it’s hardly a  tough guess to predict the outcome.

Deal 1 –
In a Times Now expose, we got to know the deal between India and US. India wanted some favor from the US in a world bank issue. Montek Singh wrote to a top official in the US govt requesting for help. In the quick reply, the US official asked Montek to handle the ‘noise’ created by the Dow Chemicals judgment.  We all know how we got silent on the entire issue of Bhopal gas tragedy.

Deal 2 –
After Randiv shamelessly bowled a no-ball to Sehwag and denied him a well deserved century, the media lambasted the Lankans. Technically, Lanka had not committed a crime. But audio\video recordings, bowlers apology, twitter messages forced the Lankans to take some action. Captain Sangakkara was to be blamed. Seeing SL’s precarious position in the tri-series, a deal was set and a bakra was caught. Dilshan was fined and Randiv was suspended for a game – effectively both lost a match fee.

Deal 3 –
Govt was looking for a support for the nuclear bill to be passed (pending since a long time). And they got support from the most unexpected party – BJP. A separate headlines came on the same day. CBI announced that Gujarat’s BJP CM, Narendra Modi is not involved in the Shorabuddin encounter\murder. Though some call it co-incidence\truth, I think it was a bloody good deal.

Amidst all these, we also celebrated our 64th Independence day.

Identify the jumbled songs

Approximately every 10 secs, a new song springs up.

Around 19 songs are mixed here.

To make life easier - None of the clippings are the starting of the songs.

Hindi, Kannada songs only..

Try to get the mukda (starting) of the songs, in the order of their occurrence!

PS – To prepare this cocktail, I used my mobile (Samsung M150) radio recorder…!

All copyrights are with the radio channels!

Pictures, Play or Practicals?

Just came across this wonderful blog on science explanations.

We always said - A picture is worth thousand words...How true!

And what is a moving picture worth?

I do not know the author of this blog. But credit to the person for explaining things pictorially.

Complicated Mechanisms in pictures

As I continued my search, I came across this site for kids.
Here you find toys that help children learn science in a very different way - By feeling it!
How about that?
Science through toys


Then we have the lab experiments...the college and school stuff.
Science through practicals

Now - what's better?
Answer - depends on the background of the person, age and purpose!